Found a store that stocks Arrogant Bastard nearby and it's excellent. I found it to be quite mild actually, not sure what the deal with all of this "aggressive beer" nonsense is all about... but maybe because I've been drinking Brooklyn Brewery's Black Chocolate Stout all day long? Compared to that, anything is mild... (and another very good brew BTW but very, um, upfront about its alcohol content).

Lots of flavors going on in AB, a very subtle and complex brew that I'm sure I'll be having again and again, especially since the store is less than 5 minutes away.

Found a store that stocks Arrogant Bastard nearby and it's excellent. I found it to be quite mild actually, not sure what the deal with all of this "aggressive beer" nonsense is all about... but maybe because I've been drinking Brooklyn Brewery's Black Chocolate Stout all day long? Compared to that, anything is mild... (and another very good brew BTW but very, um, upfront about its alcohol content).

Lots of flavors going on in AB, a very subtle and complex brew that I'm sure I'll be having again and again, especially since the store is less than 5 minutes away.

Arrogant Bastard Ale is great. Hard to get where you are, eh?

Glad I live in Oregon. Beer heaven.

I've had the Young's and agree that it is fantastic. Never had the others, looks like a great find!

I had the Franziskaner Weisse on tap at Stuff Yer Face, and it was great. Haven't had anything else there, but

Arrogant Bastard Ale is great. Hard to get where you are, eh?

Glad I live in Oregon. Beer heaven.

this is why.

NJ is great if you like your cities to be crime-ridden dumps, and your suburbs to be faceless soulless wastes where fat housewives in minivans spend all their time crashing into stuff.

NOT if you're looking for any kind of interesting community, history, or nature. And certainly not if you're looking for lots of rare, quality beer.

But I'm not too sure about that last part since I've only been looking for less than a week. So I reserve the right to change my mind, but on that part only.

Oregon definitely isn't beer heaven. It's shitty hoppy beer hell.

Oregon definitely isn't beer heaven. It's shitty hoppy beer hell.

There is a lot of hoppy ass beer, true. Some folk like them, not me either but there are plenty of nice malty one's to choose from. You can't throw a frisbee without hitting a micro brewery around here. Every store, from the 7-11's to the Safeways have a good selection of Ambers and Stouts and Porters. Can't imagine a better state for the sheer variety of beer brewing.

Now the wineries are everywhere in the Willamette Valley. Oregon is floating on alcohol.

but they're all lousy

Went beer shopping with my brother today

Goal was to pick up different beers because so far, I haven't tried a lot of beers and want to get into it a bit more.

How did we do?

Erdinger Dunkel very nice stuff and in a proper sized bottle.

Not too sure the Belgian selection there. Favourites from that gods-own beer haven are pretty common to find - Chimay blue, Duvel, Westmalle. Be glad you are there because here in Singapore, dunkel is about $12.50 (SGD) in the "pub", Duvel is $18, Chimay Blue is $23. OUCH! Gone are the days of emptying a crate of blues in a short timeframe!

I've finally progressed to buying beer online. Yes, I'm becoming a beer geek. Got some Old Rasputin Stout and am going to progress through whatever Russian Imperial Stouts I can find. Also other stouts, IPAs, Tripels and Quadrupels, and well just about anything good, really.

It's hard to find good stuff locally

Suggestions for really good stuff that's not insanely priced are welcome.

Probably one of my favorite beer that I've tried so far. Straight out of the bottle, you can smell the sweet grapes that they used to make it. Tastes sweet with a hint of honey and covers its 9% abv content well. Highly recommended.

I've finally progressed to buying beer online. Yes, I'm becoming a beer geek. Got some Old Rasputin Stout and am going to progress through whatever Russian Imperial Stouts I can find. Also other stouts, IPAs, Tripels and Quadrupels, and well just about anything good, really.

It's hard to find good stuff locally

Suggestions for really good stuff that's not insanely priced are welcome.

Where are you buying online?

As for Russian Imperial Stouts, I liked the Brooklyn Black Ops I had the other day.

Wherever I can find that will ship to NJ. Right now from www.liquorama.net, but I've just started looking and there are probably much better places out there.

I didn't have the Black Ops but I did have Brooklyn's Black Chocolate Stout, and that was very good, though the alcohol flavor wasn't quite as well masked as I'd like. A bit aggressive and unrefined for a stout, but with lots of flavor. I'll buy it again for sure but it's a seasonal and it's done until the fall...

I've bought a bunch of beer from Hi Time Wine Cellars in California. Shipping killed me but I wanted beer I could only get in Cali.

Cool site, Mike. I need to find a place that will ship me some Pliny.

Cool site, Mike. I need to find a place that will ship me some Pliny.

That is where I got my Pliny from. Come to think of it, I have 2 bottles left, I think.

That is where I got my Pliny from. Come to think of it, I have 2 bottles left, I think.

Didn't see it on the site, so I just emailed them.

If you are ever in the midwest...try anything from Boulevard. It will change your life...lol

we made the craziest black and tan's a few nights ago, I would not recommend this unless it is going to be the only beer you drink for the night

^How did they taste?

Polishing off the 3d bottle of Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout.

Wow, this is a proper brew and no mistake. Pitch black that doesn't let any light through, with a thin tan head. Hops and bitter chocolate in the nose. I'm not that adept at describing flavors yet, but the first things to hit your palate are bitter chocolate and coffee, followed almost immediately by an onslaught of roast malt and bitter hops. This is one hoppy beer! Then, it finishes on a sweet chocolate/caramel note though with some hoppy bitterness in the mix. The mouthfeel is crisp, the body is medium and there is some moderate carbonation, so you have a stout that doesn't feel quite so creamy and lush, but rather crisp and what would have been refreshing if it wasn't so bitter and bold. This is a 9% beer, but the alcohol flavor is almost completely masked by the bold and upfront flavor.

All in all, quite a bit hoppier than I would like, but in a good way. I think I prefer sweeter and creamier stouts, but this is a brew I'm sure I'll be having again.

I also had some Allagash Four some time ago. Now, I wasn't in the best mindset to provide a proper review and I just wanted to enjoy it, but it was very good from what I remember. Not hoppy or bitter, not overly carbonated, but lush, complex, and with lots of different fruit flavors. Very very good, but I don't have any experience with Quadrupels to compare.

^How did they taste?

Having had them both alone many times I found the taste of the two mixed to be a bit weird far too sweet for my liking but surprisingly easy to drink for a ~20% beer mix.

I wouldnt' have thought the 120 would be light enough, or the WWS to be dense enough to do a black and tan. Did it layer, or just mix?

I wouldnt' have thought the 120 would be light enough, or the WWS to be dense enough to do a black and tan. Did it layer, or just mix?

By the time we got the idea in our heads to make black and tan's out of the 120 and WWS my friend had had a few drink and unfortunately mixed them together incorrectly. We ended up with 120 on the bottom WWS on top even then it seemed that they were trying to separate. One day I'll probably try it again to see if it will layer.

Oregon definitely isn't beer heaven. It's shitty hoppy beer hell.

For the most part that is true however Rogue does make a very good Imperial Pilsner in my opinion.

Have you had a chance to try a WA brewery named Elysian?

Fat Yak Pale Ale, a new one from Matilda Bay brewing in Australia. It is really well balanced - light enough to be refreshing on a hot summer day, but tasty enough to be rewarding. Nice and light citrus hop aroma, medium bitterness, subtle grassy aftertaste from dry hopping. Ever-so-slightly malt sweet.

Definitely give Little Creatures Pale Ale a run for its money......